luger machining?

[guns3545]

Originally Posted by kmichaels90

Ok heres something I'm curious about back in 1900 through the 40's how were luger frames and parts made. Were they drop forged and finish machined? Or were they simply machined from a solid block of steel ie. A billet? I am a machinist and understand the technology availabe today and I have worked with and around machines from the late 19th century. But I do not know what kind of forging abilities they had in the time from 1900-1945.

The process evolved. Gortz and Sturgess has the bill of material for early production and while detailed on type of steel, etc., there is no real evidence that forgings were used as a starting point.

On the other hand, in Don and Joop's book, on page 70 is a detailed photographic essay on how a steel forging was transformed into a finished frame thus demonstrating that certainly by the 30's, forgings were in use.

John